The Pacific Northwest has an amazing bundle of outdoor experiences to offer. On a rather cold Saturday morning, a friend and I hit the road to the Tulip festival at the Skagit Valley, Washington. In fact, I had been to this place just the previous week and I was so wonder struck by the budding flowers that I wanted to see it when it bloomed.

The plan was not to hike but just enjoy the flowers and soak in the scenery. For weeks, the flowers stayed fresh in my mind that I bought a printer to experiment a bit more. If you like the above picture and want to see the album, then follow this link.

Packed all my stuff and had one last week to explore Pittsburgh, the cute little city where I spent two wonderful years. If there’s one place where you get to see the whole of Burgh, that would be Mt. Washington. Here’s the view I saw through my camera on that windy night. For a moment, the lights, the steel and the bridges took my breath away.

Pittsburgh, you made me STEEL!

Note: Photos in this blog are taken by me (camera details on the left pane) unless stated otherwise. Please feel free to link/cite them in your work.. I would appreciate if you add credits proper credits

I am thrilled to kick start the Master Shot series with my friend, classmate and master photographer, Celine Ramoni.

Fresh from the success of her exhibition in China and her photos included in Microsoft Windows wallpaper themes, Celine shares her idea of photography, what it takes to be a photographer and her secret sauce to top class photos.

Let’s learn more from this amazing photographer and wish her the best in her journey!

How did you get into photography?

Born and raised in Switzerland, I moved to Japan in 2007. This was the “trigger” to my interest in photography. During my travel in Japan, I discovered so many unique and magnificent landscapes. I felt the need to capture and retain these exceptional moments that I was living in. I was astonished by the innumerable people who were carrying professional photo gears compared to those in my own country. This apparently large popularity of photography further raised my curiosity.

I bought my first SLR one year after my arrival in Japan and started learning with friends. The first few months seemed difficult and my pictures were disappointing. But by learning a few basic concepts, I gained a tremendous freedom in the variety of pictures I could take.

This photo concludes a series of shots I took in from the Yurikamome train, an automatic metro line in Tokyo. I had taken my first photos in the Yurikamome a few years ago. At the time, I wasn’t happy with the result and knew it had the potential to get much better. I did go back multiple time over the course of the next 3 years. A few days before leaving Japan, I went back a last time and was able to take this shot. Even though it is not perfect, I like a lot of things about it: the colors, sharpness and perspective. It was a great way for me to conclude the first chapter of my photography.

Generally speaking, I like abstract urban shots with a lot of geometrical elements. My other favorites include night cityscapes and small DOF.

Would you like to share a useful tip for photographers in the audience?

Be patient! Some of my most popular shots are the results of multiple trials. I went to the same places again and again, learning from my mistakes until I was happy with the result.

Your inspiration for your projects?

While photography remains a hobby to me, I am grateful to have received a form of recognition in my creative art. I like to be able to perform to the best of my ability and photography is an area in which I have been able to successfully apply this precept. I have a feeling of achievement concluding that with some perseverance, I can obtain great results in a domain where I did not have any particular aptitude before.

Memorable incident or moment from the photo-shoot:

While traveling, meeting with other photographers often brings interesting conversations and memories. This summer while I was living in Seattle, I traveled to Vancouver to shoot some fireworks. Over there, I ended up standing next to somebody who was from Seattle and who gave me some great tips about the event we were about to photograph.

What better time to launch the Master Shot series than soon after the Academy Awards night

What really is this Master Shot series about?

This fotocentric blog is all about engaging people through visual treat and subtle prose. At its core is the idea of ‘Shoot at sight, shoot at will’. So far I have only posted photos from my closet.

Along the way, I have been lucky to watch, comment on and interact with terrific photographers. Through the Master Shot series, I hope to add tangy, spicy twist to the blog by directly bringing those photographers to you..dear readers.

Let me know what you think.

On a side note, I clicked this pic at Madame Tussaud’s gallery at NYC.

Note: Photos in this blog are taken by me (camera details on the left pane) unless stated otherwise. Please feel free to link/copy /cite them.. I wouldn’t mind if you add credits too

It would be redundant if I were to talk about the dynamism of New York… I didn’t get caught between people by mistake. Scores of people keep walking at a dizzying pace, inside the subway, through the subway, between the streets and even within the stores. Oh NY, don’t stay still!

Note: Photos in this blog are taken by me (camera details on the left pane) unless stated otherwise. Please feel free to link/copy /cite them.. I wouldn’t mind if you add credits too

Spotted this simple, yet stunning contemporary art work near the Canadian Parliament. I saw different views emerge from it with every step that I took around it. I’ve attempted to share with you a holistic view through the collage. Go, bask in the shots!

Note: Photos in this blog are taken by me (camera details on the left pane) unless stated otherwise. Please feel free to link/copy /cite them.. I wouldn’t mind if you add credits too